Accumulator shell sealing plug



May 3, 1949. J. MERCIER -r AL 2,459,171

ACCUMULATOR SHELL SEALING PLUG Filed July 6, 1945 Fig.1.

I x 5 z i 10 2 J INVENTOR.

z/[A/V M'PC/E/Q AND 39 711 3 aftarrl y awn/W Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT I v ACCQMULATOR SHELL SEALING PLUG Jean Mercier, New York, and Edward M. Greer,

OFFICE West Hempstead, N. Y.; said Greer assignor to Greer Hydraulics, 1110., Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 8, 1945, Serial No. 603,546

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to accumulators as used vision of means to necessitate pushing the oil in the hydraulic system of airplanes but more particularly to the component parts of the accugsulator and the manner of assembling those Pa An accumulator is a fluid storage device that is connected to a hydraulic system, its principal function is to provide a surplus supply of the fluid in the system stored at a predetermined pressure so that any leakage in the system is automatically compensated for by the accumulator. The construction of an accumulator is usually a pressure vessel with a dividing yieldable wall, so that air pressure may be charged through a valve to the one side of the yieldable diaphragm and a fluid under pressure may be charged to the other side of the diaphragm. In another form of an accumulator a deformable bag or bladder is used instead of a diaphragm. The bag is afllxed to one end of the shell by means of the small air valve stem. The opposite end of the shell is provided with an oil port. In this type of construction the deformable bag must be inserted through the larger opening of the oil port and the small air valve passed through a smallperforation in the opposite end of the shell. It has been found advantageous to provide a rather large opening at the oil port end of the shell to facilitate the assembly of the bag in the accumulator. In providing a large opening there has arisen other difllculties namely the provision of a safe and tight plug. Safe in that it will not blow out under extreme pressures within the shell and tight so that it will not permit leakage of fluid. The usual manner of closing the oil port end of the accumulator is to provide a large neck end integral with the shell and internally threaded, into this opening a plug is threadably secured and this plug is provided with the correct size oil port. There are various disadvantages to this type of plug namely the threads may become worn or stripped and weaken the strength of such threads and when a maximum pressure is attained in the accumulator the plug may be blown out, another difliculty arises in disassembling. that is. the mechanic does not always relieve all the air pressure from the bag and consequently when the plug is partially released by the mechanic it suddenly blows out and may cause injury.

This invention has for an object the provision of an accumulator that is provided with a looking means for the sealing plug at the oil port Another object of this invention is the proport plug inward against any resistance to its removal before the plug may he removed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a quick and easily installed oil port plug that is safely secured to the shell of the accumulator.

Other objects may be apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings and detailed description in which,

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of the accumulator, and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the locking ring.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1 there is a pressure resistant shell Iii with two opposed ports or mouths II and II, the smaller port ii is provided for a stem i3 of a standard pneumatic valve l5 and the larger port I2 is formed large enough to pass an accumulator bag H therethrough. The bag it is formed slightly pear shape or at least smaller than the internal periphery of the shell l0 and is provided with the standard pneumatic valves [5 moulded into the larger end portion of the has. A circular strainer plug it is provided having its largest diameter A" (indicated in dotted lines) slightly less than the diameter 3" (indicated in dotted lines) of the large port II. The strainer plug it is formed with a large perforated head'portion i1 and an extended neck portion i8 that is somewhat smaller in diameter to allow a seal 20 to be interposed between the neck portion l8 of the plug. l6 and the shoulder. of the port [2. The neck portion is is internally 1 threaded to permit an oil port plug 2| to-be threadably secured, this plug 21 having the port 22 for securing the fluid line thereto. The neck ii of plug I6 is also externally threaded so that an external nut-23 may be secured thereto. The portion of plug it where theneck I8 and the head l1 meet forms a circular shoulder portion 24. A locking ring'28 illustrated in Fig. 2 is provided and is formed with an inside diameter equal to the external diameter of the extended neck portion [8 of the plug IQ of Fig. 1. The ring 25 is also formed with a slight curvature 28 on its upper face as indicated in Fig. 1 so that it fits into the shoulder 24 of the plug IS. The outside diameter of the ring 25 is greater than the diameter "B" of the port l2. The ring 25 is cut through one portion of its circumference as at 21 to permit the installation of this ring through the port I2 which is of smaller diameter. This is done by springing the ring or compressing it, then after it is within the shell it may be expanded.

RE23s4 expanded and passed over 'the neck portion [8 of the plug IS. The plug I6 is then brought down to the position indicated in Fig. 1. The seal 20 is next pressed into the opening (2 around the neckportion 18 of the plug I6. The nut 23 is next threaded on to the external threads of the neck l8 and drawn up tightly to hold "the whole assembly It in a rigid, tightly sealed relationship. The accumulator is then ready to have the fluid port plug 2L secured thereto and the port 22 connected to a fluid system. The bag I4 is inflated with a prescribed pressure before the accumulator is put into operation.

In disassembling this accumulator, it is absolutely necessary to release all air pressure from the bag M, as in removing the plug l6 it is.

necessary to push it inward so that the ring 26 may be slipped from the neck l8 and compressed to remove it through opening l2. The plug l6 may then be removed. It is apparent that a mechanic cannot remove the plug I6 with air pressure remaining in the bag l4, therefore there is no danger of injury from the plug being blown out during disassembly. Although a preferred form has been shown it is understood that a mechanic working within the scope of whichis claimed, may make changes without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is: V

1. In an accumulator comprising a shell hav- 4" a within said shell separating said two ports from each other, a strainer plug placed inside the a larger of said ports, a split spring locking ring of greater diameter than-said largest portplaced inside said'port, means to secure said strainer plug and locking ring in juxtaposition with the said shell at the periphery of the large port.

2. In an accumulator comprising, a shell having two ports, a deformable partition secured within said shell separating said two ports, a

strainer plug placed inside one of said ports, a

' split spring locking ring of greater diameter than said port into which said strainer plug is' placed.

' means to seal said strainer plugand locking ring in juxtaposition with the said shell at the periphcry .of the one port.

3.'An accumulator according .to claim 2 having means to release the air pressure from said air portion to release the force of said deformable partition on said strainer plug, andmeans to manually remove said split spring looking ring by pushing'it inward toward said deformable partition so that said split spring. may be compressed and removed through said mounting port to permit removal of said strainer plug.

JEAN MERCIER.

EDWARD M. GREERV" REFERENCES crrnn UNITED STATES PATENTS.

Number Name Date 682,250 I Glauber Sept. 10, 1901 1,272,714 Reinhalter July "16, 1918 1,456,178 Crockett May 22, 1923 2,256,835 Mercier' Sept. 23, 1941 2,390,319

ing two ports, a deformable partition secured Overbeke -1--- Dec. 4, 1945 

